The Rencontres Economiques des Metiers d'Art Forum, organized by leading partner LVMH, is an exciting new platform celebrating the convergence of art, artisanship and commerce in the luxury sector.
The platform launched in the picturesque town of Tonnerre, Burgundy on June 30, 2023, designed to bring together renowned artisans, industry experts, art enthusiasts business leaders to explore the rich but intricate relationship between craftsmanship and economics.
With a focus on preserving traditional techniques while embracing innovation, the goal of the forum was and will be a catalyst for dialogue and collaboration among talented individuals from various artistic disciplines. It’s indisputable that the artisans themselves are at the center of this metaphorical wheel of French excellence.
As creative director of Celine before Hedi Slimane, Phoebe Philo and top model Canadian-Ukrainian, born in Poland Daria Werbowy became visual alter egos.
That visual and psychological synergy is set for a September 2023 reunion with the return of Phoebe Philo’s eponymous brand.
As creative director of Celine before Hedi Slimane, Phoebe Philo and top model Canadian-Ukrainian, born in Poland Daria Werbowy became visual alter egos.
That visual and psychological synergy is set for a September 2023 reunion with the return of Phoebe Philo’s eponymous brand.
Apparel brand SKIMS has popped into London, installed at Selfridges until July 8, 2023. Selfridges will open a redesigned and expanded permanent SKIMS shop-in-shop this summer.
“I’m thrilled to open our first international pop-up experience at the iconic Selfridges Corner Shop. We expect demand and buzz to be high as this is the first time SKIMS Swim will be available in retail outside of the U.S,” Jens Grede, Skims co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. “The pop-up experience will set the tone for the future of SKIMS in London, as the cultural and fashion destination is a key market for our global expansion.”
Skims first launched Skims at Selfridges in London in October, 2020. In 2023, Skims is such a hot brand in vestment opportunity that TIME put Kim Kardashian on the cover of its TIME 100 Most Influential Companies of 2023.
In London, SKIMS is also available at Harrods and Net-a-Porter and will open its own freestanding shop in London in the next 18 months. The shop will be in an area with “high traffic”, such as Bond Street or Regent Street Grede told The Sunday Times UK.
The Louis Vuitton Speedy bag is an iconic fashion statement that has withstood the test of time. Introduced in the 1930s, this elegant and practical handbag has become a symbol of luxury, sophistication, and timeless style.
Rihanna Fronts New LV Speedy Bag Campaign
In June 2023, fashion world adds Rihanna to the list of famous women who love a Louis Vuitton Speedy bag. Rihanna is an insider at LVMH, besides being a good friend of Pharrell Williams, the new creative director of Louis Vuitton Men who had a blowout opening night in Paris last week.
Shot by Japanese photographer Keizō Kitajima and American artist Martine Syms shot the campaign images in which, Rihanna hustles around the city with her Speedys, a modern woman with a to-go coffee in hand and her pregnant belly bared.
To mimic the candy-colored designer dupes he used to find on Canal Street sidewalks, Pharrell employed a novel silkscreen monogramming process to induce “a blurry, artisanal and almost hand-painted effect” on the new Louis Vuitton Speedy bag colors — which also coincide with the Olympic rings colors.
After a raid on the Paris 2024 Olympics offices before Pharrell’s debut, the hoped for LVMH sponsorship remains unannounced.
Los Angeles-based Good American denim and brand has opened its first store in Westfield Century City Mall.
The “radical size inclusivity” brand has come to brick and mortar with guarantees that their denim bar will always be in stock sizes 00 to plus 32. All-size mannequins, and fitting rooms are 80 percent larger than the retail average -- and the store allows for size requests and checkout via touch screen.
Founded in 2016 by Khloé Kardashian and partner Emma Grede, Good American is a B-Corp certified company — meaning that their values, workers, sustainability practices matter as much as profits.
Sotheby's and Louis Vuitton will auction 22 "exceptionally remade" Artycapucines handbags, with net proceeds benefiting organizations like UNICEF, Médecins sans Frontières, The United Negro College Fund, Teach for China, World Central Kitchen, Opendorf Afrika and RED, which fights AIDS.
A group of 22 artists will now remake their original Artycapucines using the same materials wherever possible with the artist scrawling his or her name under the flap and on the carrying case, a monogram Louis Vuitton hat box based on a 1924 design.
The participating artists are Alex Israel, Amélie Bertrand, Beatriz Milhazes, Daniel Buren, Donna Huanca, Gregor Hildebrandt, Huang Yuxing, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Jonas Wood, Josh Smith, Kennedy Yanko, Liu Wei, Paola Pivi, Park Seo-Bo, Peter Marino, Sam Falls, Tschabalala Self, Ugo Rondinone, Urs Fischer, Vik Muniz, Zeng Fanzhi and Zhao Zhao.
Opening bids for these one-of-a-kind, recreated Artycapucines start at 16,000 euros.
In the spirit of these public commissions, all 22 bags will be on show from 1-5 July 2023 at a public exhibition at Sotheby’s Paris headquarters on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
The show marking Pharrell Williams' first collection for Louis Vuitton Mens, will take place in the City of Lights on June 20, 2023, at 8:30 p.m. Louis Vuitton execs used their considerable influence to change Pharrell’s debut date
On the subject of those delicious bag colors, read on about LVMH sponsoring the 2024 Olympics in Paris, promoting Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and LVMH spirits.
In fact, it wouldn’t surprise AOC to see LVMH promoting their jointly-owned [50-50] with Jay-Z, Armand de Brignac champagne brand at the Olympics.
That would be one hell of a party! Alas, it won’t be a public event, but Mory Sacko will be in the kitchen. LVMH really wants to step out in the Olympics and they could pull this off in a big way.
Levant-region archaeologists have discovered prehistoric flutes believed to be 12,000 years old. The flutes were scattered among a stockpile of 1,100 bird bones and had gone unnoticed since the site’s discovery in 1950.
The flute instruments were discovered at a site called Eynan-Mallaha [also known as Ain Mallaha], located on the shores of Lake Hula in the Huleh Valley of today’s northern Israel. The site is believed to be home to the last hunter-gatherers in the region, says Dr. Laurent Davin, an archaeologist and a post-doctoral fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The Natufian people were a prehistoric group that lived in what is now modern-day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and northern Syria around 12,500 to 9,500 BCE. They were known for their advanced hunting and gathering techniques, as well as their unique cultural practices.
Nile Rogers may be a new name in Chanel Eyewear’s Spring 2023 campaign— unless you are old-schooled in “Good Times, “I’m Coming Out,” and “Le Freak.”
Nile Rodgers is a critically acclaimed musician, composer, and producer who has made an indelible mark on the music industry. Born in New York City in 1952,
Rodgers' breakthrough came in the mid-1970s, when he formed the disco group Chic with bassist Bernard Edwards. The band's debut album, "Chic," was a huge success, featuring hits like "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" and "Everybody Dance." Chic went on to release a string of hit albums and singles, becoming one of the most popular groups of the disco era.
Understanding the importance of diversification in the music industry, Nile Rogers spread his net into producing, composing and yes— modeling for luxury brands like Chanel.
Yes, Rogers always wears sunglasses as a sign of cool.
NBC News has announced Kristen Welker's appointment as the new anchor of “Meet the Press” the network’s flagship newsmagazine program. Welker currently serves as NBC’s White House correspondent and “Weekend Today” co-anchor.
One of Welker’s standout moments happened in 2020 when she moderated the second and final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The no-nonsense but fair interviewer drew extensive positive reviews from both sides for keeping the proceedings moving and under control.
In truth, no one in media has done a better job than Kristen Welker, insisting that Donald Trump address specific questions — rather than letting him wrestle the narrative away from the moderator.
Last season alone, Meet the Press only averaged 2.57 million total viewers and 492,000 in its advertiser-prized 25-54 demographic; Todd’s ratings were significantly below competitors like CBS' Face the Nation and ABC' This Week in total viewers and in second place in the 25-54 demographic.
Ahead of the Air Jordan 2 "Wings" release on June 10 as a part of the Jordan Wings Program for the Summer 2023 season, Jordan Brand has debuted an inspiring, heartfelt tribute to SVP Howard "H" White.
White is one of the founders of the Jordan Brand’s "Wings" program. His own personal history and life philosophy, as revealed in the video, are intimately relevant to the brand’s expansion of its classic high-top offerings.
Old-school, Jordan Brand values are really important to America’s future.
Howard “H'“ White’s impact on Nike and the Jordan Brand is hard to overstate. And mentoring youth is an anchor of White’s entire career.
We must follow his lead and do our part as adults. We need to see our kids thrive, and the human touch is critical.
Miu Miu new fragrance Fleur de Lait Eau de Parfum, a floral-fruity scent, is inspired by the iconic Asian dessert Mango Pomelo Sago — a memory I have of Hong Kong’s Peninsula Hotel.
The campaign uses the notes of the fragrance itself to create a visual recipe for Mango Pomelo Sago and the joy of making it in the kitchen with dear friends. It’s the nose of the human wearing it, as well as the fragrance itself that recreates the joyful memories, emotions and — in this case — pleasurable associations.
Honoring the spirit of poets of the Tang Dynasty and the numerous references to Proust generated by the Miu Miu campaign, AOC shares a 2020 Harvard panel discussion “What the Nose Knows: the science of smell and how scent, emotion, and memory are intertwined — and exploited.”
In Spring 2021, AOC made a mistake, not posting this summarized archive Naomi Campbell by Prince Gyasi post that controls all the tags into our complex system of Models and Photographers Archives into their summary pages.
Bad Anne!!!!
Mistakes happen, but this was was a big miss, given AOC’s commitment to all matters related to Africa and Africa-connected creatives, history and also political issues.
Naomi’s Madame Figaro narrative references the ALÁRA Lagos Africa luxury concept store [IG], designed by the pre-eminent architectDavid Adjaye, who describes his vision for West Africa’s first signature and lifestyle store.
There is no debate that in 2023 Adjaye and associates is one of the most influential architectural firms across the world.
Naomi’s Madame Figaro photographer Prince Gyasi doesn’t have a strong presence in fashion photography but the artist’s Instagram is a big wow!
Gyasi shoots on his iPhone and is very color-driven — as is AOC.
In a media landscape where talk and promises are so cheap that we are in a state of mental rebellion before reading the first word, the Tom Ford interview is stellar, capturing our minds like a really good TED Talk.
No BS promises and definitely not clickbait. It’s personal and humanizing, filled with haunting quotes from Ford.
When we first wrote in 2020 about the LVMH plans for a Cheval Blanc Hotel in Beverly Hills, it seemed to be on cruise control, a fait accompli. Now the fight is all but over and LVMH conceded probable defeat on Friday.
Labor union Unite Here Local 11 and a local residents group garnered enough signatures to put two referenda on the ballot in Beverly Hills that would ask voters to overturn the City Council’s approval of the Cheval Blanc hotel and the development agreement for the project in September 2022. They got signatures from 10% of Beverly Hills voters which triggered a vote to override the City Council’s approval.
"Although some votes remain to be counted, it now appears that Measures B and C have fallen short by a narrow margin, overturning the results of a comprehensive, years-long review and approval process," said Jessica Miller, a LVMH spokesperson. "We are proud to have worked with so many residents, civic leaders and business owners who supported this once-in-a-generation investment that would have delivered hundreds of millions of dollars in city funding and a beautiful gateway project for the Golden Triangle. If the final vote count confirms the voters' rejection of our project, we will respect the outcome, and will not bring the hotel project back in any form."
Late in 2022, Serena Williams launched her wellness brand ‘Will Perform’, with an initial focus on recovery essentials for pain relief and sore muscles. The clean, cruelty-free, topical pain relief and daily muscle-care solutions are designed to reimagine recovery from demanding exercise routines.
Today Serena and her tribe are headed to 3000 individually-selected Walmart stores with an offering of three key products also available at Walmart’s online platform. These products include the “Will Relieve Lidocaine Pain Relief Roll-On“, and the “Will Relieve Lidocaine Pain Relief Spray“, both priced at $13, along with the “Will Rest Nightly Muscle Recovery Lotion“, which is also priced at $13.
“Recovery has played an integral role in my performance and professional success. It’s a practice that can benefit anyone with an active lifestyle. That belief is what inspired us to develop a line of products that targets your muscles and can be incorporated into your daily self-care routine,” Williams said in a written statement.
Louis Vuitton chose a wellness event in Malibu, California to launch its newest fragrance Pacific Chill. Friend of the house model, mother and businesswoman Miranda Kerr is the face of Pacific Chill.
Kerr’s own company Kora Organics is a leading global certified organic skincare brand, a perfect alignment for ‘Pacific Chill’, described by Vuitton’s maître parfumeur Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud as a ‘detox’ fragrance.
Credit the Beverly Hills Hotel’s Polo Lounge as the source of inspiration behind the new fragrance. About a year ago Cavallier-Belletrud was in LA for several days and enjoyed the hotel’s 14 Carrot Gold juice, made of carrot, orange and ginger every morning.
During a creative meeting with Alex Israel on that trip, Pacific Chill was born. Enveloped in a blue-green hued vessel, a 100-ml. bottle of Pacific Chill retails for $300.
Last Monday, May 8th, Alicia Keys celebrated the 20th anniversary of “If I Ain’t Got You”, and she did it in the style of “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story”, debuting on Netflix.
The track was produced with the Queen Charlotte's Global Orchestra, a 74-piece ensemble made up entirely of women of colour.
The orchestra features renowned musicians from all over the world, including Ofentse Pitse, who’s the first Black female conductor of South Africa. Among the musicians are Rimon from Netherlands, Amel Bent from France, Alicia Away from Germany, Cherrie from Sweden, and Delara from Norway. The musical arrangement was made by Bobbie-Jane Gardner.
Alicia Keyes was dressed by Dior, wearing a SS23 ensemble pairing a crinoline skirt in plumetis tulle with delicate lace encrustations with a matching bra top. via Dior IG.
With the opening of Prada’s East Hampton newly-redesigned store at 2 Newtown Lane, the summer 2023 luxury brands offering is nearly set.
Prada opened the 1600 square foot store in July 2022 with green and white cabana stripes and not today’s blue and white. The Italian luxury brand will drop product exclusive to the Hamptons, where this is their only store.
In the world of post-COVID summer rentals, the overheated market appears to have cooled. The number of rentals has expanded as demand has fallen.
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs [JCPA] has named Amy Spitalnick as its new CEO. The appointment could not come soon enough, after the organization’s decision to pursue a more liberal approach to break away from the consensus-driven Jewish Federations of America.
In addition to being called a “modern-day Nazi fighter”, Spitalnick has earned the title of “democracy defender.”
Spitalnick sued the Charlottesville 2017 neo-Nazis “Unite the Right” rally organizers and won a successful multimillion-dollar lawsuit, as the executive director of Integrity First for America [IFA].
“There needs to be an organization that wholeheartedly recognizes how deeply intertwined Jewish safety is with other communities’ safety and how bound up that all is in a broader fight for democracy at this moment, and builds the sorts of coalitions within and across communities that are essential to moving the needle,” she said.